Apps are the cornerstone of many modern relationships, whether they are focused on long-term commitments or quick hookups. But whether you are looking for a permanent partner or just some consequence-free sex, there are so many apps to choose from that it can be almost overwhelming.
How do you find the best apps for these kinds of connections, and what sort of factors make one app better than another? If you are already in the market for something like this, then finding the ideal app can make a huge amount of difference to how well your experience goes.
Know What You Want
It is important to have at least a decent understanding of your own intentions before you choose any specific dating or hookup site. This makes the choice significantly easier because you know what kind of connection or match you want to build – and can find a site that supports it.
This can mean knowing what kinds of relationships you are interested in building or just the level of casualness or commitment that you want from a relationship. Even knowing what kind of sexual connection you want to make is important and helps you decide between different apps that are mostly the same.
Naturally, there are also apps that are meant for specific markets, audiences, and types of dating. While general dating apps can work, options like gay dating apps, apps for partners ‘in uniform’, or even specific kink-related hookup apps all exist as their own separate niches, too.
Look For Popular Apps
Popularity means more people and more people means more partners. While many apps will have a gender bias, having a wider pool of people to match with means that you are more likely to find someone who is interested in a similar arrangement. This makes it much easier to find a partner that fits because more people means more variety.
More popular apps also tend to be popular for a reason. It might be specific features, the ease of matching with other partners, or even just the snowball effect of a popular platform getting even more popular. In any case, it never hurts to choose a dating app that is already being used by thousands of people.
Consider Each App’s Reputation
Some apps have specific reputations surrounding them, whether they are about the kind of user base they get or the kind of relationships and matches that you can make. For example, some dating sites gained a reputation as being a place that is primarily used for hookups rather than for serious dating.
It is important to consider how each app is generally used before you commit to choosing one. Even if an app bills itself as a place for all kinds of connections, its user base might be more heavily focused on casual hookups. Similarly, if an app is primarily geared toward finding a relationship, then its user base is probably not going to be interested in something purely physical and consequence-free.
Look at Pricing Structures
Most dating and hookup apps are free, but not all. Even among the free ones, most will have paid tiers or other paid features that allow you to do something that free users can’t – whether this is promoting your profile or something much more relationship-focused.
Apps can range wildly in their pricing, and while a premium subscription is pretty much par for the course, there is a lot of difference between a monthly fee of $10 and one that is over $50. It is important to explore the pricing structures of the apps you are interested in to see how much it will cost to use them and whether they are worth the price.
Be sure to look into how important these paid tiers are, too. Some apps keep them entirely optional and treat them like a way to get more convenience features, while others will heavily restrict you unless you pay up. Knowing this ahead of time is really useful.
Read App Reviews
As with any major purchase or commitment, reading reviews is an absolutely essential part of the process. The good news is that most apps will have reviews or testimonials available online, which you can read for an insight into how the app works, whether it is worth using, and whether the app itself gets decent results for most users.
Reviews can alert you to flaws with the site, like poor loading times or heavy monetization, as well as outside-of-site problems, like excessive amounts of bot and spam accounts. Knowing more about an app before you even start using it can make a big difference to your final decision.
Check For App Safety Measures
Even though sex and dating apps are primarily a safe way to connect with strangers and new partners, that does not mean they are always totally free of risks. Some people will pretend to be somebody else, or lie about their identities, or otherwise mislead potential partners for their own reasons.
Beyond that, some apps are simply going to steal and sell your data or may not even be entirely legitimate apps to begin with. This is especially difficult on Android devices, where apps can be put up for public use with less tight restrictions than on iOS.
It is important to look at both the safety features of the dating app itself and the overall legitimacy of the app. While the former might not be much of a problem if you keep your more personal information hidden, the latter can be much more of a concern, especially if you put your own bank account data at risk through a paid dating app.
How to Choose The Best Dating App
Overall, it is important to consider what sort of connection you want to build and whether the app itself is a good match for that kind of relationship. Popularity, pricing, reviews and reputation, and any safety concerns are all vital to the process – but in the end, what makes a great dating app is its ability to provide you with exactly what you need.
Common sense should always apply here. Consider each app in the context of what you are actually looking for, whether that is a long, intimate relationship or something that is purely sexual. App reviews like those at SexDatingApps.com can be a good way to get an overview of a range of apps that might be worth your time.
If you know what you are looking for, you can usually narrow down your options until you find something that fits. There’s nothing wrong with taking the time to compare a few similar apps until you find something that seems like it would work for you.